Chapter 9Society and Politics in the Early Republic.ppt

Chapter 9Society and Politics in the Early Republic The American People, 6th ed. I. A Nation of Regions The Northeast The Northeast region stretched from eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey to New England. Small family farms dotted the landscape and produced a surplus of goods. People used the barter system for economic exchanges. Cash was rare. The demand for heating fuel quickly depleted the region’s forests. The South The South stretch from Maryland to Georgia along the coast, and west to the newly forming states of Alabama and Mississippi. Planters had experimented with a number of grains, but had little success until cotton was imported from Europe. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 allowed one laborer to clean up to 50 pounds of cotton a day. Trans-Appalachia The Trans-Appalachia region consisted of the lands west of established white settlement known as the “backcountry” or “frontier.” Settlers, drawn by the promotions of land speculators, moved west into the region in astounding numbers between 1790 and 1810. The Nation’s Cities Although most Americans lived on the land or in small villages, a growing number chose to live in the expanding cities. The most aggressive urban growth was found in the Northeast due to established ports of commerce and booming economy. In Trans-Appalachia, cities like Chicago and Pittsburg began to spring up along the Great Lakes and interior rivers. Cities were relatively small, dangerous, and unhealthy. Indian-White Relations in the Early Republic The Goals of Indian Policy From 1790 to 1830, the federal government established policies toward Native Americans ostensibly to integrate them into white society. The Indian’s refusal to view themselves as a conquered people forced the government to deal with the tribes through land treaties. Illegal infringement of tribal lands rarely ceased, always in the benevolent guise of education or Christianization. Perfecting a Democratic Society The Revolutionary Heritage Social ref